Gone With The Wind
by MAT23LUV
Summary: Natsu tells his children a bed time story. Later on, he and Lisanna recall the day of their friend's courageous and touching death. More NALU than NALI.


"Papa! Papa! Tell me a bedtime story. Pleas oh please…"

The tired pink-haired man sighed and rubbed his son's head lovingly. Emerging from the bathroom, a shorter pink-haired girl with large blue eyes skipped over to the large bed. "Ooo a bedtime story? I want to hear it too."

"Okay, okay," smiled Natsu as he picked the little girl up and tucked her in the master bed beside her older brother.

"What kind of bedtime story do you brats want, eh?" "Something about a brave and courageous mage!" "Something about a beautiful girl who triumphs over evil!" "BRAVE MAGE!" "PRETTY GIRL!" "MAGE!" "GIRL!" "MAGE!" "GIRL!"

Natsu sighed at his loud children; they certainly took after him that was for sure. "I know a story," he said softly.

The children nearly did not hear him but they did an quieted down, waiting with large blue and expectant eyes.

"There once was a mage. She was beautiful, brave and powerful. She fought to live by her own choices and was very clever. She loved to read and write, to smile and laugh and especially, to be part of her guild. The guild's name was Fairy Tail."

The children listened quietly. Moments when their father was like this were rare, and for good reason.

"Fairy Tail had many great battles and so did she. She laughed and cried, won and loss but regardless of whether it was a victory or not, she always moved on. She never gave up, no matter what. She would not let others do her job and she always looked out for her _nakama. _No one, absolutely no one treasured their _nakama_ like Lu-, like she did." Natsu's dark eyes shone and stared out the window as memories of smiles, laughter, pain and tears flew through his mind.

"What happened to her daddy," his son's question broke his trance and a great sadness overcame him. His shoulders slumped, his eyes darkened and his hands closed into fists.

"Fairy Tail had a huge fight with demons who wielded weapons and curses. Dragons clashed and one even died," at this he paused to steady himself.

"And during the chaos and madness, she just…died. It felt like she left with the wind. One minute she was there, tired worn and exhausted but still smiling, the light in her brown eyes could have lit up the entire continent.

And the next minute," Natsu closed his eyes as a painful memory filled his mind, "she was gone. Gone with the wind. Her body remained but it became an empty shell. Her smiling and stubborn nature, her endless spirit had been taken with the wind."

A breeze came in through the window and Natsu felt as if it was embracing him. Wrapping him up in cool air and love, endless love.

Then it was gone and he opened his eyes.

"Many mourned, many searched for a way to bring her back. But in the end, we all knew there was no way to bring her back. It would not be what she wanted anyway." His onyx eyes became wistful and another much stronger wind entered the room, blowing back his hair and lifting the blanket's corners.

"Fairy Tail was disbanded, it was the end. But the spirit still lives on. Fairy Tail will always stick together and Lu-, the brave and beautiful mage will live on with us. In our hearts, in spirit."

"You knew her right papa," asked his daughter. He smiled, "Yes I did." "Did you love her," asked his son. "Yes, I did," Natsu did not hesitate, "and now I love your mother and you two." He kissed both their foreheads and walked out, closing the door softly behind him.

…

Natsu walked out onto the balcony and stared up at the moon. It was a full moon that night and it took up most of the sky. Numerous stars, too many to count, took up the space around it. They twinkled and danced together in the night sky.

A memory flashed through the ex-Fairy Tail member's head.

"Ne, I don't get it Lucy. Why do you stare at the stars so much?"

"It reminds me of us." He had stared back at her with a blank expression that was too easy to read. She had giggled cutely and he blushed slightly at having caused such a reaction.

"Fairy Tail, we are all together like the stars. Although you may not always seem them, you know they are always there. No matter what-thick or thin, high or low Fairy Tail will always stick together. Right Natsu?"

At that moment, Natsu had realized he had fallen in love with the blonde.

A few months later the battle of Zeref and his demons as well as the battle of Acnologia, the dragons and FACE had taken place.

Magic was saved and the continent was saved from imminent danger and chaos. But the sacrifice made was very heavy.

Lucy's death meant everything had to change.

Natsu had spent the next three years alone, training and fighting himself. Then Lisanna, Erza, Happy and Gray had pulled him out of the depressed state and helped him back on his feet. The year after, Lisanna confessed to him.

And now, nearly eleven years after Lucy's death, he was married and had two children with his white-haired childhood friend.

But he knew somewhere deep down that he could never love them the way he had loved Lucy.

…

Lisanna sat with her legs crossed on the bathroom floor. She had watched from just outside the door as her husband of six years recounted his past to their two children. Slowly, tears trickled down onto the cold tiles.

Natsu would smell the tears and come running soon but she could not stop herself. Lisanna knew that Natsu would always love Lucy. In sickness and in health, in life or in death.

The way his eyes sparkled when he spoke of his adventures with her, the way he smiled when he saw something that reminded him of her, the way his eyes darkened when a sad memory with her popped up, it all saddened her.

She could never replace Lucy. She could only be there for Natsu, just as he had been there for her as she recovered from the guilt. The guilt of watching as Lucy had taken a blow meant for her. The guilt of not being able to heal her and not finding Wendy fast enough to help with at least pain.

The guilt of feeling jealousy as Natsu had held her in his arms as she breathed her last.

She still remembered it as if it was yesterday.

All around them, it was a scene of chaos and destruction. Erza was shouting for Wendy, for help, anything. Happy had flown off in search as well. Lisanna had kneeled beside Lucy's broken and shaking form, holding her hands for dear life.

And even as she died, Lucy had worried about her nakama.

"Are you alright, Lisanna?" All Lisanna could do was nod in response as the sobs shook her body. "Don't cry Lisanna, its going to be alright. Natsu will definitely beat Zeref and the demons. Have faith in them." Again, all Lisanna could do was nod. She could see the light in Lucy's chocolate brown eyes begin to dim and fae and all she could do was nod and commit every word she said to memory.

"Lisanna, I need you to do something for me. A last favor," chuckled the blonde, she spat up more blood but managed to smile weakly. "After I…go, Natsu will need help. So will everyone else but, we know Natsu right?"

Again all she did was nod.

"I know how you feel for him," at this Lisanna had gasped. "And I want you to be there for him, please. I am not asking you to take my place. Just please, help him."

More blood spilled from her mouth and her clothes darkened with the color of blood from various wounds.

"Shush Lucy, you don't need to speak. Please," Lisanna had murmured.

"No, Lisanna I need to do this," the blonde's grip on Lisanna's hands tightened.

"Please, tell everyone thank you for accepting me even though I am not very strong. Thank you for helping me to heal my wounds. Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Lisanna just nodded and sobbed until Natsu had arrived and held her in his arms.

Words had been exchanged but not many and tears streamed from both of them.

He had caught her last breath in his mouth as he pressed his lips on hers.

Then, Lucy Heartfilia died.


End file.
